In living with the redesigned 2014 Jeep Cherokee for a year as one of our long-term test cars, we became familiar with the SUV's good and bad qualities. So when we had a chance to drive a 2015 Cherokee Trailhawk we knew it would be a good opportunity to compare it with the four-wheel-drive Cherokee Limited we'd sold earlier this year. The difference between the two vehicles was significant.
Related: Would We Buy a 2014 Jeep Cherokee Again?
The Trailhawk trim level is the Cherokee's most expensive, with a starting price of $31,390, including a $995 destination charge. It's the most off-road-oriented version of the Cherokee and features all-terrain tires, low-range four-wheel drive with a locking rear differential, more aggressive approach and departure angles, an extra inch of ground clearance, underbody skid plates and red tow hooks. It carries Jeep's Trail Rated badge for off-road competency. A healthy list of optional features like blind spot warning, a power liftgate, remote start, leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel, a 3.2-liter V-6 engine and an 8.4-inch touch-screen navigation system pushed the Trailhawk's as-tested price to $38,364.
The V-6 Is the Engine to Get
The base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and the nine-speed automatic transmission it teams with were a constant source of frustration in our long-term Cherokee Limited. The four-cylinder didn't have much reserve power for highway passing and, despite multiple software updates, the automatic transmission had a tendency to make abrupt, awkward gear changes and wasn't very responsive.
The 3.2-liter V-6 is a $1,745 option and it's money well spent -- especially considering the V-6's EPA-estimated gas mileage is only slightly lower than the four-cylinder's. The front-wheel-drive 2015 Cherokee four-cylinder is rated at 22/31/25 mpg city/highway/combined while a front-drive Cherokee V-6 gets an estimated 21/29/24 mpg. The four-wheel-drive-only Trailhawk actually gets slightly better estimated gas mileage with the V-6: 19/26/22 mpg versus 19/25/22 mpg with the four-cylinder.
More importantly, the Cherokee's nine-speed automatic transmission worked a whole lot better with the V-6 than the four-cylinder. It's smoother and more unobtrusive overall, like a modern automatic transmission should be. "The shifting was smooth and consistent over 450 miles of driving, and the car really only shifted hard into a gear once," said Joe Bruzek, road test editor.
The V-6 makes 271 horsepower while the four-cylinder is rated at 184 hp, and editors appreciated the extra power. "The Trailhawk's V-6 had plenty of power for passing, merging and more," said Jenni Newman, assistant managing editor.
"The nine-speed automatic paired with the V-6 is a great match," said Jennifer Geiger, assistant managing editor. "Power is robust from a stop, and shifts are snappy and relatively smooth, a welcome change from its erratic behavior when paired with the four-cylinder in our long-term Cherokee."
Ride Quality Suffers With Off-Road Suspension
One of the things we really liked about our long-term Cherokee Limited was its suspension tuning, which provided long-drive comfort. Most Cherokee trim levels have this Normal Duty suspension, as Jeep calls it, but four-wheel-drive Cherokees with the Active Drive II and Active Drive Lock low-range systems (the Trailhawk included) get the Off-Road suspension that's considerably less supple; bumps produce a notably bigger jolt and the ride is firmer overall. The Trailhawk's knobby all-terrain tires may play a part in the firmer ride too.
Comparing Prices
With an as-tested price more than $38,000, the Cherokee Trailhawk isn't cheap. Neither, however, was our long-term Cherokee Limited, which stickered at $33,375 and included many of the same upscale features as the Trailhawk like a heated steering wheel and leather upholstery.
Regardless of what Cherokee trim level you may be considering, do yourself a favor and pay the extra money for the V-6. You won't regret it.
2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk; Manufacturer image
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